Bulls come up short in measuring-stick game vs. Heat

The Bulls had their chances in the third quarter, and even late in the fourth, but Miami showed them just how gritty playoff-caliber teams can be.

November messages are overrated, especially in the NBA, where the money doesn’t start getting pushed to the middle of the table for another four months.

But measuring sticks to self-check where a team is a quarter of the way through the season have some merit.

Even Bulls coach Billy Donovan wasn’t going to underplay that idea.